Shloka 1

निकुम्भिला

यज्ञविघ्नः — Vibhishana’s Counsel and Lakshmana’s March to Nikumbhila

Devanagari script

त्तस्यतद्वचनंश्रुत्वाराघवश्शोककर्शितः ।नोपधारयतेव्यक्तंयदुक्तंतेनरक्षसा ।।6.85.1।।

Transliteration

tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā rāghavaḥ śoka-karśitaḥ | nopadhārayate vyaktaṃ yad uktaṃ tena rakṣasā ||6.85.1||

Translation

ಆ ರಾಕ್ಷಸನು ಹೇಳಿದ ಮಾತನ್ನು ಕೇಳಿ, ಶೋಕದಿಂದ ಕ್ಷೀಣನಾದ ರಾಘವನು ಅವನು ಹೇಳಿದ್ದನ್ನು ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾಗಿ ಗ್ರಹಿಸಲಾರದೆ ಹೋದನು.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having heard’

• राघवः: Raghava (Rama)
• राघवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शोककर्शितः: afflicted by grief
• शोककर्शितः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka + karśita (√kṛś कृदन्त) (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• उपधारयते: understands/grasps
• उपधारयते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपदम्

• व्यक्तम्: clearly
• व्यक्तम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vyakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative/neuter) = clearly

• यत्: what/that which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; correlates with ‘तत्’

• उक्तम्: said/spoken
• उक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• रक्षसा: by the Rakshasa
• रक्षसा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

Immersed in grief, Raghava could not make out the words spoken by Vibheeshana.

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)
• Rākṣasa (speaker of the words; contextually Vibhīṣaṇa in the provided translation tradition)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma recognizes human limits: even the righteous can be shaken by grief; compassion and responsible counsel are required when a leader is emotionally overwhelmed.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma, distressed, hears urgent speech in the war-camp but cannot properly process it due to sorrow.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Emotional realism and empathy: the text portrays Rāma’s vulnerability, inviting supportive, truth-oriented guidance from allies.